Shallow Well Pump Losing Prime or Not

[RWS]

Hey everyone. Trying to establish what may be causing my shallow well pump seemingly to lose pressure or prime. When the pressure switch kicks the pump on, a lot of times it runs and won’t build pressure and has evidently lost prime . When I check the pump, the housing is full of water (maybe back-flow from the pressure tank?). I have replaced everything from my old pump system from the check valve prior to the pump inlet to the water inlet valve to my home. No apparent plumbing leaks above ground that I can find. On a few occasions, I have been able to regain prime by simply running the pump and never opening it up and adding any water. A local well expert thinks my well is running out of water. I’m hoping to get some troubleshooting help before committing to what I fear may be my only other, expensive, option. Also, I’m not a well/pump guy but I understand the basics of how a well system works. Just hoping someone may know something I haven’t thought of. Thanks in advance.

Well Depth-35ft
Water depth-28-30ft
Pump- 1HP AY McDonald shallow well pump
Pressure Tank- 52 gal AO Smith bladder tank

 

[Valveman]

If you are using a shallow well jet pump with only one pipe going down the well, 28' is too deep and you are pulling air right out of the water molecules. You will need a two pipe, deep well jet pump, or a submersible to work deeper than 24'. Could also be a suction leak or both. A foot valve is also better than a check valve just "prior" to the pump. With so much drop pipe below the check valve it could cause a loss of prime all by itself.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

If you run dry, but get restarted without adding water, do you get air spurting out of your faucets?

On a few occasions, I have been able to regain prime by simply running the pump and never opening it up and adding any water.

Why was the pump motor not running already? Thermal cutout or something?

Note that in measuring how far you lift, I think you need to measure from the surface of the water to the top of the pump.

Is this a 2-inch well?

I expect your well expert takes into account that other wells in your area have been running dry.

 

[RWS]

If you are using a shallow well jet pump with only one pipe going down the well, 28' is too deep and you are pulling air right out of the water molecules. You will need a two pipe, deep well jet pump, or a submersible to work deeper than 24'. Could also be a suction leak or both. A foot valve is also better than a check valve just "prior" to the pump. With so much drop pipe below the check valve it could cause a loss of prime

If you run dry, but get restarted without adding water, do you get air spurting out of your faucets?


Why was the pump motor not running already? Thermal cutout or something?

Note that in measuring how far you lift, I think you need to measure from the surface of the water to the top of the pump.

Is this a 2-inch well?

I expect your well expert takes into account that other wells in your area have been running dry.

Appreciate the reply. The pump has no trouble filling the tank and cuts off at 50psi. Sometimes, when it draws down to the cut in at 30psi it has seemingly already lost prime and the pump runs until I can shut it off. This has occurred the last 3 days and it has been sitting, unused, while I am not home. I’m guessing any residual water left in the tank backs up into the pump before I can open it up and just looks like the pump has water. But I’m able to re-prime the pump on the first try without adding any water.

- I estimate 28-30 ft from the well water surface level to the top of the pump. This is pretty accurate.

- 1-1/4 inch well

I say “well expert” loosely because I know they’re trying to sell me on a $10k+ deep well setup, which I understand. No one in my area does shallow well work anymore, but running dry was their diagnosis.

 

[RWS]

If you are using a shallow well jet pump with only one pipe going down the well, 28' is too deep and you are pulling air right out of the water molecules. You will need a two pipe, deep well jet pump, or a submersible to work deeper than 24'. Could also be a suction leak or both. A foot valve is also better than a check valve just "prior" to the pump. With so much drop pipe below the check valve it could cause a loss of prime all by itself.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I agree I am probably pushing my pump past its designed limits with the depth of the well. Until a year ago, the pump and well had performed fine for years, even from that depth. After dealing with this since August of ‘24, 3 months ago I upgraded to the 1 hp pump and re-plumbed everything and for a month, it worked perfectly…until now. It does make sense there may be suction leak, so I may end up pulling the drop pipe and see if I can find a leak. The foot valve is a good idea, so this gives me some options to consider. Much appreciated. I’m getting an unexpected crash course on well/pump maintenance and I’ve learned a lot lately.